Biometrics key for securing company data and keeping workers safe: Fingerprint Cards, CyberLink

The use of biometrics as part of access control and other workplace IT systems to ensure the safety of data and people in the ‘new normal’ of different workplaces is explored in a pair of recent articles from biometrics providers Fingerprint Cards and CyberLink.

The prevalence of passwords to secure enterprises digital assets may be coming to an end, as increasing interest in biometrics and growing awareness of the flimsiness of usernames and passwords as a security measure drive reviews of authentication methods up the corporate agenda. This is the view Fingerprint Cards Global Marketing Manager Maria Pihlström shares in a company blog post, citing studies showing a 54 percent increase in phishing attacks, along with work password reuse by 99 percent of people, and 6 in 10 saying they have too many passwords to keep track of.

Not only do biometrics block the use of stolen credentials, which are involved in 60 percent of hacking incidents, they can be layered in multi-modal authentication solutions, such as with iris and fingerprint biometrics, that provide a high degree of assurance against spoofing attacks without inconveniencing the user.

Integration with existing access control systems can enable simplified access to a range of access points, including shared devices.

Pihlström argues that while employees and employers are commonly concerned about the privacy implications of biometrics, the technology can actually improve privacy compared to passwords. Taking an on-device approach to biometric access control can further assure employees of the safety of their sensitive personal data, while eliminating any liability issues for the company with storing a database of biometric samples.

“The pressure is on to reassess the physical and logical access control infrastructure,” Pihlström writes. “New and additional authentication methods are imperative to keep personal and corporate data safe. Thankfully, the benefits of biometrics are often far simpler to realize than many enterprises imagine.”

CyberLink CEO explains benefits for warehouses

The overhaul of secure access control processes is not confined to offices and digital assets either, as CyberLink Chairman and CEO Dr. Jau Huang writes in a post for the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA).

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the mask detection, temperature checks, contactless access and social distancing needs that go along with it can provide valuable safety measures for busy warehouse environments, according to Huang. Systems providing facial recognition for access control can fill all of these needs, along with making sure masks are work properly.

Conducting the same kinds of processes manually may require less technology, but the additional time and human resources needed may be significantly less efficient. Facial recognition algorithms from industry leaders can also now identify people while their masks remain on, Huang points out.

Maintaining spacing guidelines is likely one of the most difficult aspects of the return to work for environments like warehouses. Huang says with computer vision and facial recognition technologies, employees can be alerted when they are not abiding by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) distancing guidelines.

Ultimately, Huang says, proper implementation and communication by warehouse operators will be necessary to make any changes in processes and workflows effective.

Article Topics

access control  |  access management  |  authentication  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  CyberLink  |  facial recognition  |  Fingerprint Cards  |  multi-modal